Steady-state neutronic analysis of converting the UK CONSORT reactor for ADS experiments

Highlights: → We adapt the design of the UK CONSORT reactor for accelerator-driven experiments. → New U9-Mo fuel is in principle possible in compact core. → Commercial cyclotron and W spallation target can give 3 kW(th) in core. → We suggest this design as an economic method to deliver ADS experiment. - Abstract: CONSORT is the UK's last remaining civilian research reactor, and its present core is soon to be removed. This study examines the feasibility of re-using the reactor facility for accelerator-driven systems research by replacing the fuel and installing a spallation neutron target driven by an external proton accelerator. MCNP5/MCNPX were used to model alternative, high-density fuels and their coupling to the neutrons generated by 230 MeV protons from a cyclotron striking a solid tungsten spallation target side-on to the core. Low-enriched U3Si2 and U-9Mo were considered as candidates, with only U-9Mo found to be feasible in the compact core; fuel element size and arrangement were kept the same as the original core layout to minimise thermal hydraulic and other changes. Reactor thermal power up to 2.5 kW is predicted for a keff of 0.995, large enough to carry out reactor kinetic experiments.